HOBOKEN – There's a growing battle to win the hearts and minds of Hobokenites on the best way to deliver long-promised parks to the southwest area of the Mile Square City.

Fourth Ward Councilman Tim Occhipinti said today he has collected 350 signatures on a petition to demand Mayor Dawn Zimmer convert three vacant lots at First and Jackson streets into open space.

Occhipinti says he will deliver the petition at the Hoboken City Council meeting tomorrow.

“In our urban landscape, we need as much open space as possible -- especially here in southwest Hoboken,” said Occhipinti in a statement. “I’m sick and tired of those who make open space promises while running for office and then turn their back on our community when it comes time to take action. Hoboken needs less lip service and more leaders committed to creating safe places for our children to play and for all our families to enjoy.”

Occhipinti is referring to three Zaklama properties totaling slightly more than one-third of an acre located at first and Jackson Street.

The councilman says he will submit a resolution at the next City Council meeting to hire an appraiser to determine fair market value of the properties.

Occhipinti wants the city to purchase the lots, which are zoned for residential use, before a developer gets his hands on them.

“Bringing open space to Hoboken's Fourth Ward is long overdue, but sadly doesn’t seem to be a priority even for some who call this neighborhood home,” Christopher Gizzi, president and executive board member of Hoboken Southwest Parks Coalition, said in a statement. “This petition is the continuation of a critical open space initiative, and I urge all park supporters to sign it.

"By turning these vacant lots into open space, we’d begin to see what a true, contiguous, 6-acre park will do for southwest Hoboken residents and families,” Gizzi added.

Advocates are critical of the progress by Zimmer -- who herself started in Hoboken politics as a member of Hoboken Southwest Parks Coalition advocating for a 6-acre park there -- to create more parks.

The organization wants the city to use some of the $3 million Hudson County Trust Fund grant and a $20 million bond authorization the City Council approved in the spring of 2011 to hasten the development of the park.

In a letter released today, Zimmer said she has a plan to develop parks in the area and wants to focus on properties zoned for industrial use.

Properties zoned for industrial use are far less expensive than land zoned for residential development she said.

Since the three Zaklama properties are zoned for residential use, they would be "extremely costly" to acquire, Zimmer said. The largest of the three properties, less than one-quarter of an acre, has an asking price of $4.3 million, Zimmer said, noting that the price equates to $17 million an acre.

Zimmer said the a 1-acre block on Jackson Street that is zoned for industrial use -- and was appraised by the city at $3 million -- is a bargain compared to the Zaklama lot.

"While I agree with the sentiment that the southwest (area) needs new park space urgently, fiscally prudent choices must be made, and we do not have the resources to acquire every lot where it might be desirable to have a park,” Zimmer said.